3.9

M3.9 Earthquake 180 km SE of Sand Point, Alaska — October 19, 2020

2020-10-19 23:38:08 UTC (2020-10-19) · approx. 12:38 PM UTC-11 local

MagnitudeM3.9(mb)
Time23:38 UTC≈ 12:38 PM UTC-11
Depth16.4 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates54.333°, -158.293°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On October 19, 2020 at 23:38 UTC, a magnitude 3.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 180 km SE of Sand Point, Alaska, at a depth of 16.4 km and coordinates 54.3333°, -158.2930°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 296 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 54.33°, -158.29°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.9 mb
Depth
16.4 km
shallow crustal
Location
54.3333°N
-158.2930°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000cc2p
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
234
Azimuthal Gap
255.0°
Min Station Distance
0.904°
RMS Residual
0.94 sec
Last Updated
2020-12-29 23:07:48 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.9 earthquake near Sand Point, Alaska?

The magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck 180 km SE of Sand Point, Alaska on October 19, 2020 at 23:38 UTC had a depth of 16.4 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.9 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000cc2p). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, October 19, 2020). M3.9 Earthquake 180 km SE of Sand Point, Alaska — October 19, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000cc2p/